Good news we could all use: Stories of money success

“I paid off my mortgage on July 3,” one reader wrote. “THAT was Independence Day! Well, two weeks later, I received a check from the mortgage company, which was the balance of my escrow account. I wasn’t expecting that at all, and while I wanted to splurge, I could [hear] Michelle/Big Mama/my recently deceased mother saying, ‘save, save, save!’ So, I treated myself to an inexpensive treat and deposited the rest of the money. I realized the money would almost cover my first year of property taxes!”